Venezuela’s zoo animals starving to death

August 2, 2016, 11:35 PM IST

Venezuela: Venezuela is facing a severe food shortage and reports show that animals in its zoo are starving to death. But the Venezuela’s government denied that zoo animals were dying of starvation amid a national food shortage, saying they were being lovingly treated ‘like family’.

Ernesto Paiva, Minister for Ecosocialism and Water, visited Caricuao zoo in Caracas, where a union leader last week said 50 animals including Vietnamese pigs, tapirs, rabbits and birds had starved to death in the last six months. Pavia said “The animals are very dear, treated as if they were family, in fact they all have names. They were being seen by nutritionists to ensure they had an adequate diet.”

The official said widespread media reports of deplorable conditions for zoo animals in the recession-hit OPEC nation were part of a campaign of ‘lies’ against the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro. Despite the minister’s assurances that the Caricuao animals were healthy and adequately fed, state prosecutors are investigating the deaths of ‘various species of wildlife’ there.